8 August 2023
Kearsney College and Westville Boys’ High, near neighbours and good rivals, met in the final of the 2023 Belgotex Sport Kearsney Hockey Fives on Monday evening, with St Anne’s Diocesan School and Danville Park Girls’ High doing battle for the inaugural girls’ title.
After two days of intense competition on the Mason Astro, the playoff positions were decided, with Michaelhouse and Ashton College facing off for seventh and eighth.
It could hardly have been a tighter contest. After regulation time, it was 4-4, which meant the contest moved on to a shootout. There, it was just as closely contested, with the school from Ballito edging it 5-4.
Pretoria schools’ Saint Alban’s and Garsfontein duelled for fifth and sixth. The pivotal period of the game proved to be early on as Saints built a useful lead. They, then, kept their noses in front throughout to emerge 6-3 winners.
Meanwhile, Clifton and Hilton met for third and fourth. The Durbanites surged into an early lead, but Hilton staged a fightback at the start of the second half to reduce the deficit to 3-5.
Clifton, though, responded with some magnificent hockey, striking a number of sensational goals in quick succession, to race away to a 10-3 victory.
The final
Then, it was on to the showdown between the hosts, Kearsney College, and Westville Boys’ High.
In a format of the game that teams don’t play often, Westville showed excellent tactical awareness to utilise the dimensions of the playing area well, and to prise open gaps in the Kearsney defence. At the same time, they were very well organised at the back, stopping Kearsney’s attacking forays time after time.
Westville took a quick 2-0 lead, the first from a sweet deflection, before Kearsney struck back, but at the break the Griffins had restored their two-goal lead at 3-1.
It appeared as if the second half was going to be a goalless stalemate as the clock ticked down, but Kearsney needed to chase goals to win, and Westville exploited the home team’s desperation. They suddenly slotted three goals in quick succession to ensure they claimed a comfortable 6-1 victory and the title.
In the girls’ final, it was St Anne’s who became the first winners, defeating a game Danville 5-3.
Entertaining, equalising format
Hockey Fives is the format used in the Youth Olympic Games, and one that is a great equaliser; due to the limited number of players on the field at one time – four outfielders and a goalkeeper – teams can put out a quality line-up at all times.
It’s also highly entertaining, with players able to shoot from anywhere on the park. That includes hitting from long distance and throwing overheads from way out to test any goalkeeper that might not be fully locked in.
As the Belgotex Sport tagline on the banners surrounding the Mason Astro read, “This changes the game.”
Kearsney’s sterling events’ record
With an event format that also includes boys’ primary schools playing a festival – no winner – the Belgotex Kearsney Fives resembles the very successful Kearsney Soccer Tournament, which was recently held for the first time.
The Botha’s Hill school has developed an enviable habit of hosting some of the country’s leading sports events, including the Standard Bank Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, the Spar Tennis Festival, and the Kearsney College Independent Schools Stayers’ Basketball Tournament. A tip of the hat to the organisers for putting together another competitive event, which was played in a good spirit.
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